Blocking

Blocking is a means of preventing damage from enemy attacks by fending with a shield, staff or dual wieldedweapons after Evasion and Dodge has failed. The base chance to block when using a shield (22 to 33%) or a staff (12 to 18%) is determined by the base item type. When dual wielding, the base chance to block is 15% no matter which weapons are used. Usually only attacks can be blocked, but there are passives and unique items that apply a percentage of block chance to spells. The chance to block attacks and spells are both capped at 75%.

The maximum block chance cap applies to both attacks and spells. However, certain unique items and Ascendancy class skills can raise or lower the maximum block chance.

Additional block chance can be gained from passive skills, items, and the Tempest ShieldTempest ShieldSpell, Lightning, Chaining, DurationMana Cost: (17-21)Cast Time: 0.25 secCritical Strike Chance: 6.00%Damage Effectiveness: 60%Requires Level 16Enchants your shield with the power of storms, which lashes out to deal arcing lightning damage to attackers when you block them. Blocking refreshes the duration of Tempest Shield.Per 1% Quality:1% increased Lightning DamageDeals (24-284) to (36-426) Lightning Damage+3% Chance to Block Attack and Spell Damage while holding a ShieldChains +1 TimesBase duration is 12 secondsPlace into an item socket of the right colour to gain this skill. Right click to remove from a socket. skill. Attack block and spell block chance are often granted separately, with attack block being more common.

Block duration

When an attack is blocked, the game also calculates if the attack would have caused a stun were it not blocked. If it would have caused a stun, the blocking animation is played, stunning you briefly. If it would not have caused a stun, then you get a "free" block with no animation. Faster Block and Stun Recovery and Increased Block Recovery modifiers reduce the length of the blocking animation.

The following formula is the complete calculation for the duration of the blocking animation (in milliseconds). If you cannot be stunned, the block animation will never play.

Status ailments have no affect on your block chance, but being frozen will prevent the block animation from playing if it otherwise would, and chilled will make it take longer to play (since those two work by decreasing the speed at which your character plays animations).

On hit effects from skills like Glacial HammerGlacial HammerAttack, Melee, ColdMana Cost: 5Cast Time: 1.00 secDamage Effectiveness: (140%-182%)Hits the enemy, converting some of your physical damage to cold damage. If the enemy is frozen and is on less than one third life, they will shatter when hit by Glacial Hammer. Requires a Mace or Staff.Per 1% Quality:2% increased Chill Duration on enemies1% increased Freeze Duration on enemiesDeals (140-181.8)% of Base Damage50% of Physical Damage Converted to Cold Damage25% chance to Freeze enemies35% increased Chill Duration on enemies(10-29)% increased Effect of Chill+(0-2) to Melee rangePlace into an item socket of the right colour to gain this skill. Right click to remove from a socket. and Viper StrikeViper StrikeAttack, Duration, Melee, ChaosMana Cost: 5Cast Time: 1.00 secDamage Effectiveness: (115%-142%)Hits the enemy, adding some of your physical damage as chaos damage and applying poison. Requires a claw, dagger or sword.Per 1% Quality:0.5% increased Attack SpeedDeals (115-141.6)% of Base Damage25% of Physical Damage Converted to Chaos Damage60% chance to Poison on HitBase duration is 4 seconds+(0-2) to Melee rangePlace into an item socket of the right colour to gain this skill. Right click to remove from a socket. will still apply because block doesn't prevent a successful hit. However, skill effects based on damage like PuncturePunctureAttack, Projectile, Duration, Melee, BowMana Cost: 6Cast Time: 1.00 secRequires Level 4Punctures the target, causing a bleeding debuff, which will be affected by modifiers to skill duration. Puncture works with bows, daggers, claws or swords.Per 1% Quality:1% increased Skill Effect DurationDeals (100-122.8)% of Base DamageBase duration is 8 secondsCauses Bleeding+(0-2) to Melee rangePlace into an item socket of the right colour to gain this skill. Right click to remove from a socket. are essentially blocked.[2]

Block Chance against Projectiles

Any modifier that has X% additional Block Chance against Projectiles will apply to projectile attacks and can be made to also apply to projectile spells with the appropriate X% of Block Chance applied to Spells statistics.

Reducing Block chance

Block chance can be reduced with modifiers such as #% reduced Enemy Block Chance and the gem Block Chance Reduction SupportBlock Chance Reduction SupportSupport, DurationIcon: BRequires Level 18Supports any skill that hits enemies.Per 1% Quality:Supported Skills have 0.25% reduced Enemy Block ChanceEnemies have -(10-20)% chance to Block Attack or Spell Damage from Supported SkillsEnemies have -(20-29)% chance to Dodge Attack or Spell Hits from Supported SkillsInflict Overpowered for 4 seconds when BlockedOverpowered applies -5% chance to Block Attack and Spell DamageThis is a Support Gem. It does not grant a bonus to your character, but to skills in sockets connected to it. Place into an item socket connected to a socket containing the Active Skill Gem you wish to augment. Right click to remove from a socket..

Miscellaneous

The Brine King Major Pantheon power provides the unique modifier You cannot be Stunned if you've been Stunned or Blocked a Stunning Hit in the past 2 seconds. The Soul of the Brine King can be upgraded with the soul of The Eroding One in Cavern Map to grant an additional 30% increased Stun and Block Recovery.

Active skill gems

Related base stats

RiposteRiposteTrigger, Attack, MeleeCan Store 1 Use(s)Cooldown Time: 0.80 secCast Time: 1.00 secRequires Level 4Perform a deadly counter-attack when you block. Uses both weapons while you're dual wielding.Per 1% Quality:1% increased DamageDeals (100-138)% of Base DamageTrigger this Skill when you BlockYou cannot use this Attack directly+(0-2) to Melee rangePlace into an item socket of the right colour to gain this skill. Right click to remove from a socket.

N/A

N/A

4

Bone OfferingBone OfferingMinion, Spell, DurationMana Cost: (16-33)Cast Time: 1.00 secRequires Level 12Consumes a corpse, granting all of your minions the power to block both attacks and spells. The skill consumes other nearby corpses, increasing the duration for each corpse consumed.Per 1% Quality:0.5% increased Skill Effect DurationBase duration is 3 secondsGrants Minions +(25-35)% Chance to Block Attack DamageGrants Minions +(25-34)% Chance to Block Spell DamageAdditional 0.5 seconds Base Duration per extra Corpse consumedMinions recover (11-594) Life when they BlockPlace into an item socket of the right colour to gain this skill. Right click to remove from a socket.

N/A

N/A

12

Tempest ShieldTempest ShieldSpell, Lightning, Chaining, DurationMana Cost: (17-21)Cast Time: 0.25 secCritical Strike Chance: 6.00%Damage Effectiveness: 60%Requires Level 16Enchants your shield with the power of storms, which lashes out to deal arcing lightning damage to attackers when you block them. Blocking refreshes the duration of Tempest Shield.Per 1% Quality:1% increased Lightning DamageDeals (24-284) to (36-426) Lightning Damage+3% Chance to Block Attack and Spell Damage while holding a ShieldChains +1 TimesBase duration is 12 secondsPlace into an item socket of the right colour to gain this skill. Right click to remove from a socket.

N/A

16

ReckoningReckoningTrigger, Attack, AoE, MeleeCan Store 1 Use(s)Cooldown Time: 0.40 secCast Time: 1.00 secDamage Effectiveness: (70%-108%)Requires Level 4Perform a swift counter-attack against enemies in a cone shape when you block with your shield.Per 1% Quality:0.5% increased Area of EffectDeals (70-108)% of Base DamageTrigger this Skill when you BlockYou cannot use this Attack directlyPlace into an item socket of the right colour to gain this skill. Right click to remove from a socket.

Support skill gems

Related base stats

Block Chance Reduction SupportBlock Chance Reduction SupportSupport, DurationIcon: BRequires Level 18Supports any skill that hits enemies.Per 1% Quality:Supported Skills have 0.25% reduced Enemy Block ChanceEnemies have -(10-20)% chance to Block Attack or Spell Damage from Supported SkillsEnemies have -(20-29)% chance to Dodge Attack or Spell Hits from Supported SkillsInflict Overpowered for 4 seconds when BlockedOverpowered applies -5% chance to Block Attack and Spell DamageThis is a Support Gem. It does not grant a bonus to your character, but to skills in sockets connected to it. Place into an item socket connected to a socket containing the Active Skill Gem you wish to augment. Right click to remove from a socket.

N/A

18

Related quality stats

Related Unique Items

A number of unique items give bonuses to block, either by directly granting additional block chance, or indirectly by enhancing it in various ways.
Note: Only unique items with explicit block-related mods are listed here. Of course, all shields and staffs have implicit chance to block and they also apply on uniques, but they are not shown here.

Block during flask effect

Item

Stats

Rumi's ConcoctionRumi's ConcoctionGranite FlaskLasts 4.00 SecondsConsumes 30 of 60 Charges on use+3000 to ArmourRequires Level 68+(14-20)% Chance to BlockAttack Damage during Flask effect+(6-10)% Chance to BlockSpell Damage during Flask effect"Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world.Today I am wise, so I am changing myself."-Rumi of the VaalRight click to drink. Can only hold charges while in belt. Refills as you kill monsters.

Minion Block

Item

Stats

Fortified LegionFortified LegionCobalt JewelLimited to: 1Minions have (5-15)% increased maximum LifeMinions Recover 2% of their Maximum Life when they BlockWhen you throw iron weapons against an iron wallyou only make the wall grow thicker.Place into an allocated Jewel Socket on the Passive Skill Tree. Right click to remove from the Socket.

Miscellaneous

The AnticipationThe AnticipationEzomyte Tower ShieldQuality: +20%Chance to Block: 30%Armour: (1252-1461)Requires Level 64, 159 Str+(30-40) to maximum Life3% reduced Movement Speed (Hidden)(120-160)% increased Armour+(50-70) to maximum Life+6% Chance to Block+1000 Armour if you've Blocked RecentlyPermanently Intimidate Enemies on BlockWe are within her reach, and when the time is right, she will reach into us.

Fortified LegionFortified LegionCobalt JewelLimited to: 1Minions have (5-15)% increased maximum LifeMinions Recover 2% of their Maximum Life when they BlockWhen you throw iron weapons against an iron wallyou only make the wall grow thicker.Place into an allocated Jewel Socket on the Passive Skill Tree. Right click to remove from the Socket.

Xirgil's CrankXirgil's CrankCoiled StaffStaffQuality: +20%Physical Damage: 27.6–57.6Critical Strike Chance: 6.00%Attacks per Second: 1.20Weapon Range: 11Requires Level 28, 43 Str, 43 Int+20% Chance to BlockAttack Damage while wielding a Staff+1 to Level of Socketed Gems+15% Chance to BlockAttack Damage while wielding a Staff(60-80)% increased Spell Damage+(70-100) to maximum Energy ShieldReflects 1 to 150 Lightning Damage to Melee Attackers20% chance for Energy Shield Recharge to start when you Block"Since one with knowledge of machinesmight be able to bring the labyrinth to a standstill, Izaro had us place many boobytrapped decoys.But I know which switch brings the monster down."- Xirgil, Trapbuilder's final words.

+8% Chance to Block Attack Damage if you were Damaged by a Hit Recently40% increased Damage if you've taken no Damage from Hits RecentlyYour Counterattacks deal Double DamageCannot be Stunned by Hits you Block [1]

8% increased Physical Damage for each time you've Blocked in the past 10 seconds+1% Chance to Block Attack Damage for each time you've Blocked in the past 10 seconds80% increased Physical Damage if you've Blocked Damage from a Unique Enemy in the past 10 seconds+4% to maximum Chance to Block Attack Damage [1]

Version history

Chance to Block and Chance to Block Spells have been reworked. Now, there is simply Chance to Block Attack Damage and Chance to Block Spell Damage. Sources that previously caused some portion of your block chance to apply to spells now grant Chance to Block Spell Damage at a specific value and do not require other sources of block.

Secondary damage can now be blocked, dodged, evaded, and spellblocked depending on its source.

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